Runway marker light



1'. E.McDowE| 2,284,878

RUNwAY MARKER LIGHT y Filed Feb. 2o, 1941 2 sheets-sheet 1 ,Y Il? 1 pe HT l 71E/UNAS /V-COWE'LL June. 2, 1942.

.LUE-

` Vand Patented June 42, 1942 I mJNwAY MARKER LIGHT Thomas E. McDowell, (lak Park, Ill., assignor to The Pyle-National Company, Chicago, corporation of New Jersey Ill., a

, Appneatmnrebruary zo, 1941, serial1-xo.':'.79,751l

(ol. 24o- 1.2i

3 Claims.

My invention relates to lighting units adapted particularly for use in airports for -lighting the runways and for guiding pilots for proper api preach and landing. Lighting units for this p urpcse usually comprise a metallic containershaped housingv t be set into or 'adjacent to the runway with its upper end ilush with the runway.

surface, the housing being adapted to support a lighting unit, and a. cover structure for the housing supporting lens structure for the proper directioning and distribution of lthe light relative to the runwaysurface. 'Y Heretofore in lighting units of this'ciass no provision was' made for adjustment of the cover structure relative to the housing, and therefore the housing had to be set` very accurately so that,

after application of thecover structure and Securing thereof to the housing, the light rays would be directed properly in the desired direction. An important object of my invention is therefore to provide in a unit of this type simple and leicient means by which accurate adjustment can be made of the lens supporting cover structure on the embedded housing so that, if the housing' had not been properly set, the cover j structure can be readily adjusted and then secured fory the prcperand accurate functioning of the lens element. A further importantobject `of the invention is to provide `a cover structure to which 'a lens element is permanently secured, and with the cover4 4structure provided with a cover plate which may be readily removed for acce'ss to the lamp or the cover structure adjusting mea-ns without disturbing the position of the lens relative to the cover structure. ,Y

My invention also includes other features of structure and arrangement and all the various features are incorporated in the structure shown on the drawings, in which drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the lighting unit;

Figure 2 is a section on plane II--II Figure 1; Figure 3 is a section on plane III-III Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a vertical In the structure shown, thehousing III is in the formv of a cylindricalcontainer having at its lower end an inlet II for connection with conduits cr piping for the electrical circuit with "which theunit is to be connected. The container has the flaring neck I2 which terminates in the luirizontal seating ange I3 and 'the surrounding vertical-ilange I4. Atthe lower end of thekhousv section of part of the structure lshowing a modiiled adjusting arranger` ment forthe cover structure.

- ing, a supporting plate I5 is dctachably mounted I on seat projections I6 forming part of the housing. `The plate I5 supports thel base ITon which is mounted a socket member I8 for the lamp I9.

'I'he Acover structure comprises the annular horizontally extending bottom wall and an annular top wall2l. From thc inner edge of the bottom wall 20, a number of posts or brackets 22 extend upwardly and terminate in' seating heads 23 against which the top Wall 2| is secured as by means of screws 24. The upper wall 2| is of less diameter than the bottom wall 20 and has a flange 25 between which and the.bottom wallv 20 an annular lens L is interposed. A sealing gasket-26 is inserted between the ilange 25 and the topof thelens, and the lens .at its lower end is seated in suitable sealing material 2l which extends along -the bottom wall 20 and also `between the lens and the flange 2l surrounding the bottom'wall. When therscrews 24 are tightened, the lens will be clamped between'the upper and bottom walls and the gasket and sealing means will be compressed to form weather-tight sealing joints, lthe lens thus becoming a permanently ysecured part of the cover structure.

At one side the lens `may be provided with a l slot 29 for receiving a projection 3II"bn the flange 23so thatvthe lens may be properly positioned on the cover structure when the `cover structure is assembled.

The cover structure bottom wall 20 has a number of radially extending arms 3I from which a reflector` 32 may be suspended to encircle the lamp I9, and this reilector is detachably secured as by means .of -screws 33. I I

A cover plate` 34 is seated in thelannular recess 35 in the top wall' 25 and is detachably secured as byk means of-screws 36. Surrounding the lamp isla screen 31 which may beof glass or other suitable material for coloringtheI rays -as desired. As shown,this screen is supported by A i the cover plate 34, the uppery end' of the screen resting against shoulders 33, andY suitable hook members 39'detachably securedv as by screws 40 to the cover plate engaging around the lower edge of the screen to hold it concentric relative to the lamp and lens.- Upon removalof the cover lv plate, a' screen for the desired illumination conltrol may be readily installed. V

Describing now the adjusting arrangement for the cover structure, L-shaped arms 4| extend from the inner edge ofthe cover structure bottom 20, the arms being provided in their radially extending ends with holes 42 for screws 43. Extendingradially inwardly from the housing IIi'iat the base of its neck portion I2 is a number of abutment lugs 44, preferably three such lugs being provided equally spaced circumferentially on the housing. These lugs have upper channels 45 and slots 46 below the channels, the channels ,receiving the heads. and the slots the shanks of bolts 41, as shown on Figures 1 to 3. At their inner ends, the lugs 44 are beveled for engagement by the beveled outer surface of a securing ring 48 which has threaded openings for receiving the screws 43 extending through the arms 4l on the cover structure. Washers or plates 49 are secured against the under side of the lugs 44 to form seats on which the securing ring 48 may rest when the screws 43 are loosened or withdrawn from the ring.

The lamp structure, the securing ring structure, and the cover structure are installedln the housing I afterv the housing has been set into Athe ground. The lamp supporting structure is ilrst installed, and the securing ring 48 placedon the supporting washers 49, and then the cover structure is applied, `a suitable sealing gasket 50,

preferably of pure gum rubber, being applied between the seating flange I3 and the cover structure. The cover plate 34 being removed, the screws 43 are accessible, and the screws are engaged with the securing ring 48, and then before tightening of the screws, the c over structure is rotated to bring the lens into the proper position relative to the runway, whereafter the screws are tightened for engagement of the beveled edge of the securing ring against the beveled ends of the lugs 44 so that the cover structure is drawn down for compression of the gasket 50 and secure and rigid mounting of the cover structure on the housing. The cover plate 34 with the proper screen 31 thereon is now applied and secured. For re-lamping, the cover plate 34 is removed Without `in anywise disturbing the lens and its supporting cover structure,

In themodified arrangement lshown on Figure 4, the securing or clamping ring I seats on the lugs 52 extending from the housing I0, the ring receiving the screws 43 extending through the arms 4i of the cover structure. At their inner ends the arms 4|4 have the depending extension 4|' projecting into the ring to hold it laterally against displacement on the lugs 52. Threading into the lugs 52 are screws 53 having abutment collars or flanges 54 for engaging against the top of the ring. After the lens supporting cover structure has been properly adjusted on the housing I0, the screws 53 are tightened to securely clamp the ring 5| to the lugs 52 so that then, by tightening of the screws 43, the cover structurels rigidlyysecuredzin its adjusted position.

The lens has the prism zones 55 which direct the light raysradially in all directions in'to a vertically narrow zone preferably extending at a slight angle to -the ground level, as indicated on Figure 2, while other prism formations 56 will deflect the radial rays into substantially parallelism to concentrate the light in two opposite zones. As shown on Figure l, indicating lines or arrows 51 are marked on top of the cover structure, these arrows being in a line parallel to the center line of the runway if the cover structure has been properly adjusted on the housing I0. The center lines of the two opposite concentrated light zones created by the prism formations 56 are at slight angles with the center line through-the arrows 51 to be `inclined toward the center line of the runway so that the concentrated beams I part of the cover structure.

way are better observable by a pilot in order to more accurately guide him to the center of the runway. After adjustment of the cover structure of la unit has been made to bring the line of the arrows into parallelism with the center line of the runway, an indicating mark 58, such as a chisel cut, is' made on the lflange i4 of the cover structure so that, if the cover structure Ais ever removed from the housing, it may be accurately reset into proper position. Indicating lines 5S may alsobe provided on the coverplate 54 which, when the cover is applied, are brought into alignment with the line of the arrows 51 so as to be sure that the cover plate is in proper position for properfunctioning of the screen 31. centrating prism formations 56 areA preferably provided on the inside of the lens L withthe outer side of the lens remaining smooth so that'it may be readily cleaned on the outside.v

I thus provide an improved and elcient run way marker light unit in which a single lens functions to produce the vvertically narrowlight zone and the concentration of the rays into two opposite zones at the proper angle with the run. way surface for accurately guiding a pilot for proper landing, the lens being a permanent rigid BY my improved adjusting arrangement the cover structure may be readily setonthe installed housing for proper adjustment of the lens relative to the runway.

I have shown practical and eicient embodiment of the features of4 my invention but I do not desire to be limited to the exact construction, arrangement and operation shown and described as changes-and modications may be made without departing from the scope o f the invention.

I claim as follows:

1. A runway marker light comprising a housing to be set into the ground adjacent to the side of a runway and providing an annular seat at its upper end, a cover structure for mounting on said seat, a lamp supported within said hous-V ing for extension into said cover structure, an

annular lens on said cover structure for deflectingthe light rays from the lamp'to form zones along the runway, abutments within said housing, 'an annular securing member for engagement against the under sides of said abutments, arms extending from said cover structure above said abutments, -screwsconnecting said arms and said annular securing member, said screws when loosened permitting rotational adjustment of said cover structure on its seat for the proper locationing of the light zones by the lens along the runway,.said screws when tightened causing said abutments to be clamped between said arms and said" securing member for rigidly holding the cover structure in its adjusted position.

2. A runway marker light comprising a housing to be set into the ground adjacent to the side of a runway and having an' annular seat at its upper end, a cover structure. engaging said coming from units at opposite sides of the runseat, a light element supported within said housing, a lens on said -cover structurefor deflecting the light rays to create'light zones -along lthe runway, a clamping ring within said housing, supporting means supporting said clamping ring for rotational movement with said cover structure said clamping ring, said supporting means being adjustable to effect clamping of said ring against said abutments to thereby rigidly secure said The con- ,cover structure in its seat after adjustment there- 3. A runway marker light comprising, a housing to be set into the ground adjacent to a runway, an annular cover structure for said housing, a 1amp supported within said housing, an annular lens on the cover structure for directioning the rays from said lamp relative to the runway, a clampingmember within said housing carried by said cover structure, stationary abutment means 10 within said housing engageable by said clamping member, and securing means on said cover structure for engaging said clamping member with .'said abutment means to rigidly secure said cover structure to the housing, said securing means being releasable so that said cover` structure may be rotatably adjusted on said housing for the proper light directioning of said lens.

THOMAS E. MCDOWELL. 

